Sunday, December 12, 2010

Simply out of interest I thought I'd compare and contrast those MPs who voted on the original Higher Education Bill that brought in Tuition Fees in 2004 and last week's vote on raising those fees. I wanted to find out which MPs were actually consistent on the issue.

The first list is easy. Of everyone who voted for tuition fees in 2004 not a single MP voted for the rise in 2010. There is not a single MP who has been a consistent advocate of the current policy on tuition fees.

The second list is made up of the Labour 2004 'rebels', the Lib Dem and Tory 2010 'rebels' as well as SNP/Plaid. This list does not contain abstainers only people who voted against tuition fees both times.

Ms Annette Brooke

Mid Dorset and North Poole

Ldem

Mr Menzies Campbell

North East Fife

Ldem

Mr Andrew George

St Ives

Ldem

Mr Mike Hancock

Portsmouth South

Ldem

Mr Charles Kennedy

Ross, Skye and Inverness West

Ldem

Mr John Pugh

Southport

Ldem

Mr Alan Reid

Argyll and Bute

Ldem

Mr Bob Russell

Colchester

Ldem

Mr Adrian Sanders

Torbay

Ldem

Mr Roger Williams

Brecon and Radnorshire

Ldem

Miss Diane Abbott

Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Labour.

Mr Martin Caton

Gower

Labour.

Mr Jeremy Corbyn

Islington North

Labour.

Mr David Crausby

Bolton North East

Labour.

Mr Jon Cruddas

Dagenham

Labour.

Mr John Cryer

Hornchurch

Labour.

Mr Ian Davidson

Glasgow Pollok

Labour.

Mr Jim Dobbin

Heywood and Middleton

Labour.

Mr Frank Dobson

Holborn and St Pancras

Labour.

Mr Paul Farrelly

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Labour.

Mr Paul Flynn

Newport West

Labour.

Mr Roger Godsiff

Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath

Labour.

Mr Dai Havard

Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

Labour.

Ms Kate Hoey

Vauxhall

Labour.

Mr Kelvin Hopkins

Luton North

Labour.

Mr Eric Illsley

Barnsley Central

Labour.

Ms Glenda Jackson

Hampstead and Highgate

Labour.

Mr Tony Lloyd

Manchester Central

Labour.

Mr Ian Lucas

Wrexham

Labour.

Mr John McDonnell

Hayes and Harlington

Labour.

Mr Michael Meacher

Oldham West and Royton

Labour.

Mr George Mudie

Leeds East

Labour.

Mr Albert Owen

Ynys Môn

Labour.

Mr Dennis Skinner

Bolsover

Labour.

Mr Jon Trickett

Hemsworth

Labour.

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

PC

Mr Hywel Williams

Caernarfon

PC

Mr Angus Robertson

Moray

SNP.

Mr Michael Weir

Angus

SNP.

Mr Pete Wishart

North Tayside

SNP.

David Davis

Haltemprice and Howden

Tory

Julian Lewis

New Forest East

Tory

That's ten Lib Dems, twenty four Labour, two Tories, two Plaid and three SNP MPs. Forty one MPs in total. Obviously this list excludes those MPs who weren't MPs in both 2004 and 2010. Well done all of them for being consistent on this issue.

I should point out there is not a logical inconsistency in voting for introducing fees and opposing tripling them, although some might argue that the first allowed the second. I think there is a problem though in voting against introducing them and then being in favour of their increase, as we have seen many Lib Dems and Tories do - but there are too many of them to bother listing.

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